Index.



CLN

JAMES H. amm, or rioarirTormWr-inna, NEW Yoan.

, "321 DEX.

Specification of Letters Ea'tenc.

i sented nee. a' reife;

Application filed August 22., 19123. Serial No. 250,962.

Vinvented new and useful improvements in indexes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to indexes oit' the overlapping', visible index type, and to do chiefly with novel ineans 'for holding the index elements in spaced relation. in the accompanying drawings, illustrating` the preferred embodiment of the inventicnfi,` Figure i a 'front view oi part of an index containing; the invention;

Fig. .2 is a cross sec-tion of the index frame;

Fig. 3 is a rear view of one of the index' elements;

a is a side or edge view or clement;

Fig. 5 is a. rear View ot a group or series ot' the elements interengaged or interlocked; and

said index` Fig. S is a section on line G--G of Fig. l..

The index frame may he of usual forni, and as herein shown comprises the back F of sheet metal having its side niargins'hent over to torni a pair ci' inturned flanges f,

Each index clement of the series is made of suitable sheet material7 and preferably ot' transpzn'ent, flexible, resilient sheet hiaterial, such as sheet celluloid. This possesses admirable qualities of both stiffness and resiliency suited for the. requirements oi' the structure iereinail'er described-r and also permits the element to be used as a holder for removable insertcarels or slips on which the entries may he male, through which transparent holder the inserts may he read without renio'finzgi; them.

Each index element comprises a front leaf l and a rear lea-f 2 'folded over upon the iront leal and formingl therewith a pocket adapted to hold an insert card or slip (not shown). The resilience ot the material causes the leaves to press lightly together and so to pinch the insert and hold it against accidental dislodg'mcnt. The rear leaf is preferably iliade integral with the iront leaf, but it might conceii'ablv boiiorined in 4a separate piece and attached to the. 'front leaf. The rear leai" terminates short of the edge of the front leali and its extremity is rolled or lient over away troni the iront leaf as shown t 5 to 'forni a lip in a position spaced inwardly from the edge of the front-leaf adapted to'engage the edgeof the next adjacent underlying element,` thus holding the successive overlapped elements in spaced ,relation with their margins `eX- posed to display index matter, which may he displayed either on the exposed margin or the index element itself or on the margin of a card insert showing through the transparent leal' of the element. the front leaf` l also preferably7 terminates in a roll or folded lip 6, which afordsa handsome finish, stiEens the edge of the ele- 1nent, prevents it from warping` and'fur-v The edge' "ofJ l' nishes an edge which better tits the spacing'A lip 5 than a st 'aight edge would do.

Each front leaf has a pair of lateral projections 3, adjacent to the edge opposite the fold, extendinginto the channels of the frame Jformed by the langes f. Thus a series or" elements are held in the frame by the lateral projections 3, and are mutually spaced and supported by the spacing lips 5.

The free edges of the index elements, that is, the edges not retained in the frame by the projections 3, are provided with lateral projections l, Ll, which rest on the outer face ot' the 'frame flanges j", f.

in order that the elements may be sprung or bent to insert the. projections 3 under the flanges 7" of the frame Without buckling or distorting the lips iand', each lip is cut away or severed at about the middle, as shown at 5" and 6 (Fig. 5).

l claiin l. An index having` a series of overlapping` index elements of transp rent, resilient sheet material, each comprising av front leaf and a rear leaf.,i and spacing` means on said rear leaf adapted to engage the edge of the next adjacent underlying' element and to hold said elements in spaced relation with 'their margins exposed.

2. An index having; a series of overlappinto` index elements of sheet material, each comprising a front leaf and a rear leaf, the extremity of the rear leaf having a bent over lip adapted to engage the edge of the next adjacent underlying element and to hold said elements in spaced relation with their margins exposedl said bent over lip being' severe-.3l to permit the element to be lient without buckling or distorting the lip.

il. An index comprising a frame having opposed channels, and aeeriesof overlapping index eienientsoi transparent, resilient, sheet material, each comprising a front leaf having lateral projections extending into said channels, and a rear leaf forming with the front leaf a pocket, said rear leaf being formed integrally with and lfolded over upon said front leaf and terminating short of the edge of said front leaf, the exl extremity a bent over lip, and a rear leaf terminating short of the edge of the front leaf and of said bent over lip, said rear leaf also having at its extremity a bent over lip terminating short ofthe edge of the index elementI adapted to engage the lip at the edge of the front leaf of the next adjacent underlying element, and to hold said elements in spaced relation with their margins exposed.

5. An index having a series of overlapping index elements of sheet material, each Comprising a front leaf having along its extremity 'a bent over lip, and a rear leafv terminating short of the edge of the front leaf and of said bent over lip, said rear leaf also having at its extremity a bent over lip adapted to engage the lip at the edge of the front leaf of the next adjacent underlying element, and to hold said elements in spaced relation with their margins exposed, both of said lips being severed at the middle to permit the element to bend Without buokling or distorting the lips,

Signed by me at North Tonawanda, N. Y., this 11th day of August, 1918.-

JAMES H. BAND, 

